THE BEGINNING
The camping ground and motels were born of one of Les Fulton's great ideas. (My Dad)
He wanted to have a motor camp situated in a region where, if the weather deteriorated, holiday makers were not stuck in their caravans or tents waiting for the sea to calm down and the wind to change direction.
They were still able to enjoy a day at the beach or be out fishing on their boats.
After searching a great deal of the
North Island, he found the Mahia Peninsula and decided that here was
the right place to build his dream.
So in 1961 the bulldozers were moved in and they began work on the sand
dunes, on the foreshore of Mahia Beach.(a good little duck shooting posy was forfeited to create the camp)
18 months later the first
campers were welcomed to stay for Christmas at the newly completed.
Mahia Beach Motels and Camping Ground.
Then Now
(before the 2 new ablution blocks were completed)
MAHIA
The stunning
Mahia Peninsula has long been a surfing, fishing & diving mecca and a
popular holiday spot for people around New Zealand and the rest of the world.
Due to the mild
climate, Mahia Peninsula has
become a popular all year round destination for holidaymakers
and tourists.
Mahia translates
to murmur or indistinct sound. In its full form, Te Mahia mai Tawhiti means
“the murmuring of home”. This rather romantic name refers to the immutable echo
of the ocean, a sound permeating the small settlement that over the years has
continued to grow alongside the sea. For decades, the breathtaking scenery has
made Mahia a favourite holiday spot for many families and individuals.
Mahia Peninsula has 2 coastlines. One facing toward Napier and the other facing toward Gisborne.
If
the sea is rough on the Napier side, it is usually calm on the Gisborne
side and vice versa. Traveling from one coast to the other is easy and
quick.(12-15 mins) So you can enjoy the day no matter the wind
direction.
There are boat landings on both sides of the peninsula with ample room to park your vehicle and trailer.
Mahia Beach Boat Landing Whangawehi Boat
Landing
The Gisborne
(eastern) side, coast line has rock pools and long running rocky
out-crops for a fun day exploring and seafood gathering.
The Napier
coast line has a rocky sea bed, which is great for setting crayfish
pots, to catch a few crays to enjoy at your table.
Mahia has many activities which can be enjoyed on the land and water.
